Allen High band director Charles Pennington addressed the Eagle Escadrille marching band - then 600-plus members strong - before a 2009 football game. The Escadrille is believed to be the nation's largest band, with a membership of 850, including musicians, drill team and color guard.

When the director of America’s largest marching band is abruptly removed, the community deserves answers, parents told the Allen school board Tuesday night.

About 40 band supporters attended the board meeting, upset that longtime Allen High School band director Charles Pennington was removed this month without notice or formal explanation. He is still a middle school band teacher in the district.

Board President Gary Stocker told them trustees could not discuss personnel issues.

Pennington, who did not attend the meeting, declined to comment on his removal Tuesday night.

“I really appreciate their support, but I don’t think that it is in my best interest to discuss that at this time,” he said.

The Allen Eagle Escadrille is believed to be the largest band in the nation, with about 850 members, including musicians and the drill team and color guard.

In 2011, the school district’s music department won a Grammy Signature Gold Award that is given to top performing public high schools.

“He impacted thousands of students,” student Katelyn Ripkowski said. “He knew how to lead a big band but also treat us like a father figure and cared about us each individually.”

Parents said they have only heard rumors about the reasons for his departure. They said the failure to release information is disrespectful to Pennington, who has been with the district since 1999.

Supporters said that Pennington did speak to some students after his removal but that many weren’t able to say goodbye.

While some parents said they might not disagree with the change, they didn’t like the way it was handled or understand why it happened midyear rather than during the summer break. They also want the district to honor Pennington for his years leading the Allen High band.

The new band director is Blane Hinton.

Some parents said they were concerned a new director will put competition ahead of inclusiveness.

With so many students in the band, parents admit it does make winning awards harder. However, they said, the benefit is that students at the massive Allen High School — one of the largest in the state — find a small community within the band to connect to on campus.

In other business, trustees approved elementary school attendance zone changes to accommodate the opening of the new Lindsey Elementary school, which will be in the city of McKinney.

Some residents opposed the plan, saying it broke up the StarCreek neighborhood by sending them to two different schools and making it the third elementary school for some students. Pockets of neighborhoods across the district were also upset that the boundaries would move established neighborhoods out of the schools that families have long attended.

But trustees approved the plan, saying the district has to balance the enrollment numbers the best it can.

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